Healthy Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken

This honey balsamic grilled chicken is an elevated yet simple recipe to change your grilled chicken game this summer. This grilled chicken recipe is perfect for salads and pasta (it would be fantastic in my one pot alfredo), but it stands alone as a great main entree option.

Honey Balsamic Marinade

Honey and balsamic are a great pairing for a marinade because the sweetness of the honey compliments the sweet tang of the balsamic vinegar. The additional garlic and rosemary round out the flavors for an earthy and fresh balanced flavor profile. This is a simple marinade that really lets the few ingredients shine to make a delicious and healthy chicken marinade. The honey and balsamic works so well on the grill and thickens and caramelizes with the heat.

How long should you marinate chicken?

Marinades with acidity (lemons, limes, and vinegar) should not be marinated longer than 24 hours. The acidity can actually work against you here and break down the texture of the chicken; marinading chicken too long and actually make the chicken mushy or stringy (who wants that?). This marinade only needs 30 minutes, but you can marinade overnight.

Tips for making grilled chicken juicy

In the warmer weather, I make grilled chicken ALL THE TIME. Whenever I cook chicken for others, people always ask what my secret is when it comes to making chicken juicy and not dried out. Here are my tips I always share with my friends:

• Marinate your chicken and don't be afraid of salt.
• Slice the chicken breast in half through its center. Place your hand on top of the breast, and run your knife through the breast to slice through the middle.  Be careful when cutting! This makes the chicken thinner and easier to cook without drying it out.
• Allow your chicken to sit out of the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes before cooking. This allows for a more even cooking.
• Allow your meat to rest before slicing it for serving. Let the chicken hang out for about five minutes.  You can tent some aluminum foil over it to keep it warm. This will ensure the juices won’t run everywhere once you slice it.  
• Buy a meat thermometer you can leave in the chicken and read the temperature outside of the oven without opening the door. All chicken and other poultry should come to 165° F, but most chefs will take food out a few degrees shy of that because the temperature will continue to rise once removed from the oven. Consuming raw or undercooked meat is dangerous!

Weight Watchers Balsamic Chicken

This recipe is 1 WW SP per serving for Blue and Purple and 4 WW SP per serving on Green. I like to pair this with my Simple Roasted Green Beans and Roasted Garlic Rosemary Potatoes. This would really pair well with a simple salad or served with a creamy pasta like my One Pot Alfredo or Sundried Tomato Alfredo. My honey balsamic chicken would also be fantastic topped with fresh bruschetta.

For those that count calories, this chicken recipe is only 126 calories per serving.

Yield: 6-8

Healthy Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken

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This honey balsamic grilled chicken is an easy and tasty way to enjoy chicken breast--perfect for salads, pasta, and summer nights.

WW Points

Blue and Purple - 1 SP

Green - 4 SP

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 lb. chicken breast, thinly sliced across
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Whisk the balsamic vinegar, honey, EVOO, rosemary, garlic, and salt.
2. Add chicken and marinade to a storage container, fully cover chicken, and allow chicken to marinade for 30 minutes (up to 24 hours).
3. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and sit, covered for 15 minutes.
4. Heat grill to medium heat. It is important to allow the grill to get hot BEFORE you add any meat.
5. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side.
6. Allow chicken to rest before slicing and serving.

Notes

Chicken is typically portioned at 4 oz. per serving which is the size of a deck of cards. This recipe is portioning out 3 lbs. which means each chicken breast portion is 6 oz. Portioning is completely up to you, but I typically get 8 breast portions from 3 lbs.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 chicken breast
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 126Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 573mgCarbohydrates: 3gNet Carbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 22g